PSA: Your career does not define your entire identity.
There’s so much more to who you are than any job title, salary or even todo list.
You are unique and most probably have plenty of interests.
But thanks to work, chores and responsibilities, it’s so easy to get caught up in the things we “have” to do over what we’re truly passionate about.
The good news— it’s possible to do both! To work and play all in one day.
I know you’re busy and probably thinking, “Where do I even find the time? I’ve gotta work 8 hrs a day.”
Well, the answer is hidden within your after-work routine. Your 5 to 9.
P.S. If you’re new here, hey! I’m Thalia. I help 30-something girlies beat burnout and unf*ck their life through 1:1 coaching and self-paced tools. Every week(ish), I share content on burnout recovery, self-development, finding joy, and career growth. Subscribe here so you never miss a debrief.
Time is precious. Don’t waste it.
If I wasn’t partying or getting drunk after work, you’d find me in bed binge-watching Netflix while doom-scrolling on Instagram with a bottle of wine on the go.
Honestly, I’d been that way since uni — vegging out and leaving assignments to the last minute. Back then, I even remember looking for college paper help just so I could spend less time studying and more time hanging out with friends (or, let’s be real, doing nothing).
Anyway, on a good day, I’d finish work around 6 pm, and it’d take me about an hour to get home. I’d grab something easy (aka ready-made) for dinner and end up falling asleep by 11 pm.
That’s a good 4 hours of doing absolutely nothing.
This was time I could have spent on more worthwhile activities like hobbies, learning a new skill, getting creative or actually spending time cooking a healthy and exciting meal.
The truth is, I was stuck in a routine that felt comfortable.
Sure, it wasn’t truly aligned to my values, but it was so much easier for me to zone out and let the hours go by than it was to ask the uncomfortable questions that would help me figure out what I wanted.
Now that I’m back in control of my needs and well-being, I no longer waste my 5 to 9 doing the bare minimum and instead use this time to its full potential.
If I don’t continue to work during the evening (what can I say, I now LOVE my job), then I’m:
- Spending quality time with my partner
- Connecting with like-minded people
- Attending networking or social events
- Working on improving my self-development
- Building my personal brand
Benefits of an after-work 5-9 routine
While your 9-to-5 work routine is dedicated to job responsibilities, career goals and making money, your 5 to 9 represents time that is fully yours.
Time that you can spend doing things that will bring enjoyment and deep fulfilment.
Things like:
- Building a personal brand or side hustle
- Improving your health, fitness and self-development
- Socialising
- Resting and recharging (self-care)
- Learning new skills and hobbies
Building a 5 to 9 routine allows you to make the most of your evenings rather than bed rotting or doing pointless activities that won’t add to your growth. (aka partying)
Other perks an after-work “5 to 9” routine helps you achieve are:
- More energy and productivity
- Better structure for your evenings
- Less time rotting in bed and feeling sorry for yourself
- Doing things you don’t have time for during the day
- Healthier balance between life and work
- Stronger relationship with yourself and others
- Building a life outside of your career
- More enjoyment at work because you’re pursuing yourself outside of it
- Deeper sense of fulfilment and purpose
7 ways to be productive after your 9-5
Being productive after your 9-to-5 doesn’t need to feel like a chore.
I’m not talking about continuing to hustle and check off your todos.
I’m talking about being intentional with your time and holding space for the things you enjoy. The things you don’t have time for during the day and might choose to skip at the weekend.
So use your 5 to 9 wisely.
Making the most out of your evenings will allow you to thrive in all areas of your life, from your health to your relationships, as you are putting in the effort to create a better life— a more fulfilling one.
Even if you hate your job.
Plus, you’ll also find that the more productive you are after work hours, the more energy you’ll have to show up as your best self—every single day.
I encourage you to bookmark this blog post so you can refer back to it whenever you need to.
1 | Reset and get organised
Start your 5 to 9 with a reset routine.
A reset routine can help switch your mind from work mode to personal mode so you can ease into the rest of the day and leave your work at the office.
This routine can be anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes, but I suggest making it simple enough to remember so you can easily apply it every day before clocking off.
Typical reset habits can include:
- Reviewing your inbox and making sure VIP emails have been sent
- Moving unfinished tasks to the next day
- Planning your todo list and schedule for tomorrow
- Switching off all your devices (because they need to recharge just as much as we do)
- Tidying up your workspace
2 | Move your body
After sitting down at a desk all day, your body is probably screaming for some self-care.
Before heading home (or out to dinner with friends), treat yourself to a full-body workout and stretch out every last inch of your body.
Not only does moving your body after work benefit your overall physical health (bones and all), but it’ll also help shake off any stress from the day.
My go-to workouts for releasing any pent-up anger (from working in a toxic environment) were Spin or running around the local park.
But if I needed something more grounding, I would turn to yoga, reformer pilates or swimming.
You can also set the intention of trying out a fun, new workout every week or month to refresh your exercise routine.
Think about trying:
- Any type of dance lesson
- Pole dancing
- Rock climbing
- Acro or aerial yoga
- Rollerblading
3 | Cook a homemade meal
If you want to ditch the afternoon slump and the nighttime Netflix binges, then you need to give your body the food it needs to be productive.
(aka don’t do what I did and order Domino’s because you’re too lazy to cook.)
If you follow blood sugar balancing hacks throughout the day, including dinner, you’ll be able to maintain stable energy levels.
And what happens when you don’t feel tired?
You’re able to show up for yourself in the evenings and build a life outside of work.
You have the time to do fun things— the things that make you you and give more meaning to your life and identity.
When making your home-cooked meal, think about:
- Adding plenty of protein (protein is king when it comes to BSB)
- Opting for healthy whole foods over store-bought products (e.g. make your own sauces)
- Limiting pasta, bread and cake
- Replacing starchy veggies (e.g. potatoes) with non-starchy veggies (e.g. leafy greens)
- Including healthy fats in your meal (e.g. nuts, seeds, avocados, olives and full-fat dairy)
4 | Work on your personal goals
Your 5 to 9 is probably the best chance you’ll get to focus on what truly matters to you beyond your job.
So stop sacrificing your personal goals for your career goals and go after the things you can’t stop dreaming about.
Setting yourself goals outside of work won’t just make your daily life more enjoyable, but they’ll also push you out of your comfort zone so you can find deeper fulfilment.
Whether you’re using your 5 to 9 to learn a new skill, train for a marathon or build a personal brand, just make sure your personal goals align with your values.
If you’re already working towards someone else’s dreams at work, you want to make sure you’re working towards your own dreams outside of work.
Life areas (aside from your career) to set goals in:
- Relationship-based goals
- E.g. Go to therapy (or try journaling) and heal the relationship with yourself
- Money-based goals
- E.g. Save $100 per week for at least a year
- Health-based goals
- E.g. Walk between 8000-10,000 steps a day for at least 90 days
- Travel-based goals
- E.g. Live abroad or in a new city for at least a year
- Lifestyle-based goals
- E.g. Work remotely at least 2 times a week
5 | Book a 1:1 session with me
It’s easy to map out an after-work routine or set ambitious goals, but without self-belief and the right environment, staying on track can be tough.
Sometimes you just need to talk it through with someone who gets it, and turn all these ideas into a step-by-step roadmap.
That’s exactly what we’ll do together in this 90-minute blueprint call.
We’ll dive deep into what’s burning you out, what you actually want from your career (and life), and map out your EXACT next steps, whether that looks like quitting your job or staying and reshaping your role to better align with your goals and values.
You’ll walk away with an insane amount of clarity, an action plan that feels doable, and peace of mind that you can’t get from panic-asking ChatGPT at 2 am, “Should I quit my job?”
What to do next:
- Book your session now, as spots are limited
- Add the date and time to your calendar
- Write down your top 3 goals and bring them to our call
- Start thinking about your BIG dreams in life
- Come prepared with a stable wifi connection, a notebook and a pen
6 | Rest, but make it creative
Rest is essential to avoid burnout.
Especially if you find yourself in an unfulfilling or stressful work environment.
The good news— rest doesn’t need to mean sleep or doing nothing.
Rest can be creative.
Creative rest is all about recharging in a way that feels fun and inspiring. Think about taking up a new hobby, trying out a new recipe or starting your own personal brand (blog, podcast, YouTube channel, etc.)
Get your creative juices flowing by:
- Starting a passion project
- Creating a monthly vision board
- Joining an online self-development course
- Painting by numbers
- Scrapbooking
7 | Wind down the right way
Instead of falling asleep with the TV on or mid-doom scroll, get intentional with how you spend the last 20 minutes of your day.
We all know a morning routine sets you up for a more productive day, but your morning starts the night before.
Prepare your mind and body for a good night’s sleep by spending time winding down.
Turn off all your screens at least half an hour before and create a calm environment.
My go-to bedtime rituals include:
- Journaling out any anxious thoughts
- Listing down 3 things I was grateful for
- Writing down my wins
- Listening to a night-time visualisation
- Reading for 30 minutes
Final thoughts
This blog post is for inspiration only.
I don’t expect you to commit to every idea on this list.
Only choose the ones that make the most sense for you, whether that’s all 7 or just 1 to 2. You can even adjust them to better suit your needs and lifestyle.
I encourage you to bookmark this blog post so you can refer back to it whenever you need to.
It’s also important to note that you can’t be productive all the time.
Sometimes, all you’ll want to do is curl up in bed and watch Netflix. Don’t beat yourself up if that’s the case.
You still have plenty of other chances to make the most out of your 5 to 9.
So use your time wisely.
- Reset and get organised
- Move your body
- Cook a homemade meal
- Work on your personal goals
- Book a 1:1 blueprint session with me
- Rest, but make it creative
- Wind down the right way
You’ve got this.
Thalia xx
